Diecy Gray Brennemann

Diecy died Wednesday, Oct. 5.  She was born Diecy Lawrence, married Jack Gray, and married Dr. Jamie Brennemann. Through them all most folks just called her Diecy.

She has claimed her reward for 103 years of caring, loving, serving and witnessing.

Diecy Gray Brennemann passed away Wednesday, Oct. 5 at National Health Care in Greenville.

She was a devout, Christian woman whose faith saw her through the Roarin’ 20s, the Depression, World War II, Post-war America, The Cold War and the Digital Age. She was 103 years old, part of the Greatest Generation who rode in a horse and buggy in her youth, and saw man walk on the moon and beyond.

She was fiercely independent and after joining the post-war business world, worked her way from a clerk at Cudd & Coan Insurance, to private secretary at Arkwright Mills, and then to becoming one of the first women Realtors in Spartanburg with Grier & Co. She was the first woman named Realtor of the Year (1967) of the Spartanburg Board of Realtors, the first woman president of the Spartanburg Board of Realtors (1975), and a member of the inaugural class of Spartanburg Board of Realtors’ Hall of Fame.

After Mr. Lem Grier sponsored her as a real estate agent, she was later associated with Neuburger & Co. Real Estate where she was Broker-in-charge, had her own agency, Diecy Gray Realty, and she was Broker-in-charge at Cleveland-White Realtors at retirement.

She served on the S. C. Board of Realtors education committee as secretary for 11 years. During that time this committee was responsible for establishing the Chair of Real Estate at USC. She also served as a director of the S.C. Board of Realtors.

On the local level, she served as Chair of the Education Committee and in many offices of the Spartanburg Board of Realtors.

After she retired, she continued to sell homes and service clients until she reached 85 years old. In 2002 she moved to Greenville to be near her children, but Spartanburg (Inman) was always her home.

She was author of a book of poems, “My Journey”, based on her life, many of them drawing on her young years in Inman.

She was a member of Spartanburg First Baptist Church. She served as an elder in Ruth Memorial Presbyterian Church. In Greenville her membership was at Brushy Creek Baptist Church.

She was a native of Inman, the daughter of John and Mattie Lawrence. She married Y.C. “Jack” Gray in 1941 and had four children: Clifford “Chip” Gray (Melinda) of Greenville, Chris Gray (Barbara), deceased; Phillip Gray (Mary) of Greenville, and Jacquie Gray Vick (Dennis) of Greenville. In 1981 she married the late Dr. James Brennemann of Saugus, MA, who died two months later.

She leaves 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. Grandchildren: Amy Jo Gray Campbell (Trey) of Charleston, Diecy Elizabeth Gray Gallant, Ben Gray of Greenville, Jonathan Vick (Sarah), Taylor Vick (Rachel), all of Greenville, Marianna Vick of New York City, Chris Jason Gray (Karen) of Surfside, Katie Gray Pondysh (Dustin) of Hawaii, and Kasey Cave ( (Dan) of Lexington, SC.

 

The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 16, 2022 from 1:00-2:00 PM at Taylors First Baptist Church Chapel, 200 West Main Street, Taylors, SC 29687. A celebration of her life service will follow in the church at 2:00 PM with Dr. Jimmie Harley officiating.  Memorial donations may be made to: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.   

 

Seawright Funeral Home & Crematory